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Artemis II Returns From the Moon as Old Conspiracies Find New Life Online

Artemis II Returns From the Moon as Old Conspiracies Find New Life Online

9 April 2026

Paul Francis

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A Mission in Motion, Not Preparation


Artemis II is no longer a promise or a plan. It is a live, unfolding mission.


Having successfully travelled beyond low Earth orbit and looped around the Moon, the crew are now on their return journey to Earth. In doing so, they have already secured their place in history as the first humans in more than half a century to venture into deep space. The mission itself has been widely followed, not just through official NASA channels but across social media, where images, clips and astronaut updates have circulated in near real time.


Among the most striking moments so far have been the views of Earth from lunar distance. These are not abstract renderings or archival references. They are current, high-resolution visuals captured by a crew physically present in deep space. For many, it has been a powerful reminder of both scale and perspective, reinforcing the reality of human spaceflight beyond Earth orbit.


Yet as these images spread, something else has travelled with them.


Earthrise over the Moon's horizon, showing Earth partially lit against the blackness of space. The Moon's surface is grey and textured.

The Return of a Familiar Narrative

Alongside the excitement and global attention, Flat Earth narratives have begun to reappear with renewed visibility. As with previous milestones in space exploration, the mission has acted as a catalyst rather than a cause.


Footage from Artemis II, particularly anything showing Earth as a curved, distant sphere, has been picked apart across various platforms. Claims of digital manipulation, lens distortion and staged environments have resurfaced, often attached to short clips or isolated frames removed from their original context.


This is not evidence of a growing movement in terms of numbers. It is, however, a clear increase in visibility. The scale of Artemis II has pulled these conversations back into mainstream timelines, where they sit alongside genuine public interest and scientific engagement.


Real-Time Content, Real-Time Reaction

What distinguishes Artemis II from earlier missions is the immediacy of its coverage. This is not a mission filtered through delayed broadcasts or carefully edited highlights. It is being experienced as it happens.


That immediacy has a double edge. On one hand, it allows for unprecedented access and transparency. On the other, it provides a constant stream of material that can be reinterpreted, clipped and redistributed without context.


A reflection in a window, a momentary visual artefact in a video feed, or even the way lighting behaves inside the spacecraft can quickly be reframed as suspicious. Once those clips are detached from their technical explanations, they take on a life of their own within certain online communities.


The speed at which this happens is key. Reaction no longer follows the event. It unfolds alongside it.


Scepticism in the Age of Algorithms

Flat Earth content does not exist in isolation. It is sustained by a broader culture of scepticism towards institutions, particularly those associated with government and large-scale scientific endeavour.


NASA, as both a symbol of authority and a source of complex, hard-to-verify information, naturally becomes a focal point. Artemis II, with its deep space trajectory and high visibility, fits neatly into that framework.


Social media platforms then amplify the effect. Content that challenges, contradicts or provokes tends to perform well, regardless of its factual basis. As a result, posts questioning the mission often gain traction not because they are persuasive, but because they are engaging.


This creates a distorted sense of scale. What is, in reality, a fringe viewpoint can appear far more prominent than it actually is.


The Broader Public Perspective

Outside of these pockets of scepticism, the response to Artemis II has been largely one of fascination and admiration. The mission has reignited interest in human spaceflight, particularly among audiences who have never experienced a live crewed journey beyond Earth orbit.


There is also a noticeable difference in tone compared to previous eras. The Apollo missions were moments of collective attention, where a single narrative dominated public consciousness. Artemis II exists in a far more fragmented environment, where multiple conversations unfold simultaneously.


In that landscape, it is entirely possible for celebration, curiosity and conspiracy to coexist without directly intersecting.


A Reflection of the Modern Media Landscape

The re-emergence of Flat Earth narratives during Artemis II is not an anomaly. It is part of a broader pattern that defines how major events are now experienced.


Every significant moment generates its own parallel discourse. One is grounded in reality, driven by science, engineering and exploration. The other is shaped by interpretation, scepticism and the mechanics of online engagement.


Artemis II, currently making its way back to Earth, sits at the centre of both.

The mission itself is a clear demonstration of human capability and technological progress. The conversation around it, however, reveals something different. It highlights how information is processed, challenged and reshaped in real time.


In that sense, Artemis II is not just a journey through space. It is a case study in how modern audiences navigate truth, trust and visibility in an increasingly complex digital world.

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Why were flash websites so popular?

  • Writer: Paul Francis
    Paul Francis
  • Apr 9, 2024
  • 2 min read


Adobe Flash logo on a Red Background

Adobe Flash (formerly Macromedia Flash) was once the premier tool for creating websites. Flash dominated high-end websites during the late nineties and early 2000s due to its ability to create fully immersive, interactive sites.


It proved more flexible than HTML standards at the time and could create a highly dynamic website with functional video and sound across a dial-up connection. This was mainly due to a loading screen that kept the users’ attention. Some even included interactions and animation to stop the user from going elsewhere. I remember loading the Coca-Cola Flash website back in my youth—the loading screen would look like a close-up of a can of Coke, which would develop beads of condensation that you could click with your mouse…these would run down your screen, just like they did on the adverts.


Flash websites were typically highly creative, expensive and difficult to make. They required a design firm to keep the site updated, but you could consider yourself part of an elite group if you had a full Flash website. Companies such as Nike, Hewlett-Packard (HP), Nokia, General Electric, World Wildlife Fund, HBO, Cartoon Network, Disney and Motorola all had Flash sites.


The websites themselves felt like you were playing a video game. Some even included keyboard interactions and drag-and-drop functionalities. Check out Theory7’s Flash site from back in 2001



You can see the interaction these websites offered the dial-up user of the time. It was fun to ‘play’ with these sites. They would often include music and sound effects, which kept you immersed. It’s not surprising that Flash itself moved over to online games midway through the 2000s (anyone play Farmville or Angry Birds?).


Eventually, website development moved away from full Flash sites and they began to add Flash to HTML sites instead, using the Flash Player to display video and interactions. Some companies would use Flash to showcase products and would provide a 3D model of what you intended to buy, including changes in colour, style and size.


One of my first design jobs involved making Flash headers for the top of customers' websites.

In time, elements of HTML5 replaced Flash’s functionality with easier coding methods that didn't require an additional plugin for the user (Steve Jobs’ rant about Flash probably didn't help either—see my previous post). But, for me, a lot of these functions didn't have the same flair or spice as those early innovators; they felt a little ‘dumbed down’.


I will leave you with some links to YouTube videos that showcase some of these early website designs. Who knows…maybe one day everything will come full circle.









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